Lexie's Haven
by iloverob32
Summary: What if Lexie doesn't remember being Audrey when she comes through the door? This story explores a budding relationship between Duke and Lexie. For now, it will follow episode content from episode 4x4 and on.
1. Chapter 1

**Spoilers from episode 4X4 and on. What if something went wrong and Lexie doesn't remember being Audrey? What if Lexie isn't really Audrey? Or is she? I am sure a lot of people don't like Lexie, but I thought her personality was a good fit for Duke. Especially for my story, which seems to have taken a turn to one of those bad amnesia stories. I am probably going to alter the Haven lore quite a bit. We'll see. Anything familiar belongs to Haven.**

"I'm not shooting anybody. Who are you people? And why would I shoot someone I just met?" What just happened? Why do they want me to shoot him? A better question, why does he want me to kill him?

Just a few moments ago, I found myself lying on the ground, in a field, surrounded by people I don't know and now they want me to kill someone. This man, beautiful eyes, nice cheekbones too, calls me Audrey. Who is Audrey?

"Cheekbones" strokes my face with slightly watery eyes and a tiny smile. "You made it."

Um, sure. I don't know what to say, so I settle for a simple. "Hi." My eyes scan the crowd around me, noticing a beautiful, unique looking man with a ponytail. The next person I notice is a pretty, petite brunette. My eyes then fall to the rest of the people, many with their guns drawn. What the hell is going on? "Cheekbones" moves from me to some chick with a gun in her hand and takes it. He walks back to me, places the gun in my hand and points it at himself. Why does he want to die? "The troubles haven't ended. Killing me is the only way to end it." Troubles? What is that? No time to process now, he positions the gun better against his chest and then he kisses me passionately. The utter distraught and dispair are surely felt by all in that field. I, however, feel nothing but his emotion. Clearly, I am supposed to feel something for him, but instead I am overwhelmingly confused.

"I'm not killing anyone. And my name is Lexie. Who is Audrey?" There are a few moments of silence while everyone waits to see what I am going to do.

"Jordan, if she's Lexie, then killing Nathan won't end the troubles. She has to be in love with him." Ponytail says to the chick who had the gun. I am certainly not in love with the guy they want me to shoot. I don't even know him. In fact, I seem to be drawn to the guy with the ponytail and the goatee. And what the hell are the troubles?

What is going on in this strange place? Why am I here? How did I get here? Oh right, I came through a door. I don't even know what that means. Chaos is erupting around me. Ponytail throws a pretty mean punch at someone and yells, "Run!" to the guy I'm supposed to shoot. Here I stand, dumb-founded. The petite brunette walks up to me. She seems almost as lost as I am. After a few seconds of hasty chitchat, I discover she is also new to town, originally from Boston, but is fuzzy on the details about why she is here. That's ok. I don't even freaking remember how or why I got here. Whatever. I'll figure it out.

"Let's go. Follow them." I nod in the general direction of the woods where the gunshots are heard. I still have the gun in my hand from when they wanted me to shoot "cheekbones". The girl, Jennifer I learned, runs beside me. We reach the clearing, where everyone is standing and someone has a gun cocked at "cheekbones".

"Listen up, you lunatics!" I say after I fire off a shot. Holding this gun feels familiar. Huh. Maybe I have used a gun. "Move a muscle, loose your head. I apparently know how to use this thing."

"What do you want, Lexie?" Some old man asks.

"Ideally a stiff drink and a reason why you are trying to blow away 'cheekbones' here." What is his name again?

Jordan, the chick that Ponytail called out earlier, speaks. "I'll take care of her." I fire off another shot at her feet.

"Listen, honey, I know you're angry. I just hope you're not stupid, too." She is really pissing me off.

"Excuse me, Lexie?" Hot, ponytail guy says. "Hi. I'm Duke." Hmm. Duke. Fits him. "And I would actually prefer they didn't blow away 'cheekbones' here, either. I think I can clear this whole thing up by talking to this gentleman over here, the big one." There is something I trust about him. He seems the most reasonable of all the men. I nod my head to signal for him to move. I can see the two talking, but am unable to hear. Whatever he says works because the group disbands with a signal from the old man.

A few minutes later, I am in a blue truck with the guy I was supposed to kill, Nathan, I think. He sneaks looks at me at every opportunity. I don't know whether to be creeped out or flattered. As he drives, he repeatedly checks his head wound to see if it is bleeding. After a few minutes of complete silence, I can't take it anymore. "So, uh, Nathan, right?" I ask, because he doesn't seem interested in starting a conversation.

"Yeah." That's it. That's all I get? He sneaks another look from the corner of his eye.

"I think I saw a badge on you. You a cop?"

"Uh, yeah." Wow, this guy is full of words.

"Ok, well, you already know I'm Lexie. DeWitt is the last name." I try to give a reassuring smile.

"Hmmph," is his response. Thank god we are at the station. That conversation was completely uncomfortable.

Everyone arrives at the same time, but Nathan and I are stuck in his office while the others presumably discuss what to do with the two of us. Actually, viewing the placard on Nathan's desk, I discover Nathan is a detective, rather than an officer. Nathan is apparently more comfortable talking to me now because he is opening up, slowly. Maybe because we both feel like prisoners, for different reasons, but prisoners, nonetheless. I examine his head wound and he flinches. Not a painful flinch, almost as if he is uncomfortable with my touch, flinch. I find this odd, but let it go. And then, he almost calls me this Audrey person. Realizing his mistake, he asks about my life. I tell him I'm a bartender complete with crappy tips. He asks about an agent Howard and I have no idea who he is talking about.

A flash of memory comes to me, a blond man with piercing blue eyes. "You belong in Haven," he tells me. Who is that? And what does that mean? Ugh, I wish I could remember.

The door abruptly opens and the old man, Vince, says, "You two, come with me." Apprehensive, I feel like a lamb being led to the slaughter. God, I wish I knew what was going on.

Vince takes us on another silent drive. Everyone gets out of the car and we encounter a behemoth of a man, an officer. Suddenly, my stomach growls and I realize I am starving. I complain, but am told to stay put. As they walk away, I hear the giant man say that word "trouble". There's that word again. I see Vince and Nathan meet up with Duke and can tell they are talking about me. No one Is happy, judging by the looks on their faces.

My nearly exploding bladder leads me on a search for a bathroom. Great, now I'm hungry and I have to pee. I wander into the first building I can find and search for a sign that says "restrooms." Maybe I can find some food too while I'm here. Their bathroom is in back by the kitchen where a guy is behind a locked door. My face scrunches in confusion. He hits the door, no, he body slams the door, which scares the crap out of me. I scream. Loudly. Duke and Nathan come to my rescue and I explain that I just needed to use the bathroom. Watching Nathan negotiate with the guy behind the door was just painful. The guy tries using the knife to intimidate Nathan and when that doesn't work, he slits his own throat. I just watched a guy slit. His. Own. Throat. What sort of wormhole did I crawl through? I find myself asking myself this question for at least the fifth time today.

Back at the station with Duke and Nathan, Duke artistically questions Katie. She was having lunch with Josh, not her boyfriend, when he flipped out. Josh is the best friend of Tyler who is the boyfriend of Katie. Apparently, Josh is Katie's best friend too. This sounds kinda messed up, like some sort of threesome or something. Tyler is in the hospital paralyzed because of a car accident that he and Katie were involved in.

One would think Duke was the detective, instead of the actual one, sitting there watching me. Nathan is so distracted by me that he can't even do his job. He then yells for an officer to escort the girl out of his office. They usher the girl out and when the cop sees me, she welcomes me-well, Audrey, back. "Oh, I'm not-" Duke cuts me off.

"You know what? We're all very happy. Thank you." Duke thinks that everyone needs to think I am still a cop. My argument that I am not a cop and most of all not Audrey is completely ignored. Using Nathan's quarters, I get a Snickers bar from the vending machine in the break room, mostly ending my hunger. The two men stop talking when I return. They need to work on subtlety. Nice one, boys, nice one. Nathan says he wants to go the hospital to talk to Tyler, Katie's boyfriend. This is perfect. I need to get my head scanned. Maybe they will find that I have a tumor that is making me crazy.

An hour later, the good news is I'm not crazy. The bad news is I'm not crazy. That means this town is crazy.

"Seems like Katie might have some sort of 'black widow' trouble, brainwashing guys into killing themselves." So, they think Katie caused the car accident with Tyler and her, Nathan explains to me after he questioned the boyfriend, Tyler. And there's that word again, troubled. Sounds more like a curse.

"Is everyone in this nut job town troubled?" I ask, in a rather mocking tone.

Both guys look offended, but Nathan responds first, in a disheartened voice. "No, not everyone, but I am. I can't feel...anything...except Audrey. I could feel Audrey."

"That's why you reacted to me the way you did at the station. You can feel my touch. That explains a lot." My voice actually sounds sympathetic. Turning to the man standing beside him, "What about you, Duke? Are you troubled? Do you have a 'sexy' curse?" I twirl my hair, cock my head and look up at him flirtatiously.

"Oh, brother." Nathan turns around to face the other direction with his hands on his hips.

"Heh. Uh, yeah, well, there is that." Duke rubs the back of his neck and smirks. "But my real curse is that if I kill a troubled person, I take away their family curse for good." Duke responds.

"Oh, ok, well then. What do I say to that, except why the hell does anyone who isn't troubled still live here?" Inquiring minds want to know. Ok, so just me wonders this. Before either of them can answer my question, Nathan gets a call that Katie was killed by stepping out in front of a car. The three of us head to the scene.

"Poor girl. Did she do that to herself with her trouble...thing?" I am trying really hard to understand this.

Nathan thinks she's another victim like her boyfriend. I am so confused. I thought she had the trouble...thing. Noticing the walkie I have in my hand, Nathan asks, "Where'd you get that?"

"Oh, some cop gave it to me. Hey, does everyone here think I'm Audrey?"

"We told everyone that you had amnesia and that you thought you were somebody else. And that working would hopefully help you to remember who you really were." Duke explains.

That reminds me, "Guys, there's something I need to tell you." That gets their attention. Both of them look at me intently. "I didn't think it was important at the time, but In your office-," my eyes flip to Nathan. "-I remembered something I don't understand."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Nathan seems angry. Duke just stares.

"I didn't think it was important." I repeat, emphatically. "Anyway, I remember a man telling me I belong in this town."

"What else?" Nathan pushes.

I lower my head and squint up at him in the bright sunshine. "That's it."

Exasperated, Nathan says, "Of course." He sniffs once, throws his hands up and walks away. That went well. Next time I won't say anything.

"What's your-" I begin and at the same time, Duke tries to walk after him.

"Nathan-"

Duke thinks better of it and walks back to me.

"What's his deal? Does he think this is easy for me? I don't remember anything but scattered bits and pieces that make no sense."

"Audrey-" He squeezes his eyes together to mentally correct himself. "Lexie, I'm sorry about him. He's frustrated." I nod. "Do you want to tell me what you remember? Do you have specific details maybe? What he looks like?"

"Oh, um, yeah, I guess. He was blond, blue eyes, maybe a little older than me. Five years, maybe. That's all I can think of at the moment." Why can't Nathan be more like this?

"I know. Thank you...Lexie." My eyes fall to one of his large hands on my upper arms. I smile up at him and stop the urge to swipe away the piece of hair that has fallen in his face.

Again, the three of us head to the station to figure out this trouble. The guys are clueless. It's obvious, at least to me, that Katie and Josh, the kid who slit his throat, were hooking up behind Tyler's back. Must be the bartender knowledge. Maybe this cop thing wasn't all bad. Might even be fun. Except the life I led before, I didn't really like cops. I wasn't bad, they just got in my way.

Once again, we are on our way to the hospital. Nathan discovers the orderly in Tyler's bed, dead. But Tyler's a paraplegic, where could he be? Duke leaves the room to find Tyler's nurse and Nathan and I go over security evidence. The footage reveals that Tyler can possess people by touching objects the other person has touched. Tyler has a seizure every time he posseses someone different, most likely making his body weaker every time. Nathan's cell rings with Duke on the other end. We head upstairs where Duke said a crazy guy in scrubs had chased him. We find Duke outside the morgue where he hits Nathan to distract him. Only it's Tyler in Duke's body. Nathan mentions that Duke gave Tyler a free drink ticket and that is how he is able to possess him. Duke shoves us in a room and locks the door. Great. I gotta get out of this town. Screw that I belong here. If I ever make it out of this room, I am outta this town.

Nathan is driving me nuts trying to beat down the unbudgeable door. I quite enjoy getting under his skin by purposefully mispronouncing his name and then he mentions taking me out for pancakes. Ugh! I hate pancakes, the soggy sponges. Blech! The look he gives me is unnerving, like he's trying to figure out if his precious Audrey will surface. Sorry, Nathan, I have my eye on someone else.

Looking around, I find some tools that I think I can use to pick the lock. Nathan is definitely surprised.

"What? I've picked a lot of handcuffs."

"You been arrested a lot?"

Oh, Wuornos, you just stepped into a trap. I can't resist. "No, had a boyfriend who was really into bondage." I smile a devious smile. He remains unammused. I pick at the lock a little more and feel his eyes on my ass and legs under my short skirt.

"You get a good look?"

His eyes flicker away, clearly irritated. I walk over to where he is and trade out one tool for another. "You know I'm not her, right?"

"Yeah, I do. You're a completely different person and I don't want you. I want you to be Audrey again. Sorry. I know that's a terrible thing to say, that's just how I feel."

I don't even know how to process this. I mean, a part of me doesn't care, but I don't want to alienate someone who is willing to help me. Maybe I need to chuck the attitude and try to be a little nicer. I go back to picking the lock with the different tool and-Voila!-it opens. On our way out of the hospital, we see Jennifer standing outside Duke's truck holding a gun. Duke/Tyler had gone to The Gull and ran into Wade, Duke's brother. He found out that Tyler intends to kill his own weak body to completely take over Duke's healthy body. We have to stop this. And I have just learned from Jennifer that Audrey is immune to the troubles and therefore I am. This is how I help people, well, how Audrey helped people.

With a lot of persuading that I can do this, I eventually convince Nathan I need to go back in by myself because I am immune and am the only one who can't be controlled. I have to get the free drink ticket out of Tyler's hand so he can't control Duke anymore. Ok, I can do this. Simple, right?

For the second time that day, I find myself in the morgue, where Tyler's dying body is located. As I reach for the drink ticket from Tyler's still hand on the gurney, that hand knocks Nathan's gun out of my hand. I hear it skitter across the floor and under something. Great, now what do I do? Turning around, I run into Duke's hard body, only it's not Duke.

Tyler/Duke tells me what I already know, that he plans to kill himself to take Duke's body. I try to talk him out of it and in exchange he threatens my life.

"How well do you really know this guy? I mean, is he really worth dying for?" Hell yes, he is. Out of everyone in this crazy town, he is the one person I have felt a true connection to. Suddenly, I remember what Duke told me at the hospital, about his curse. If he kills a troubled person, it ends the curse. Duke will get his body back. I can't kill Tyler, but Duke can. I step aside.

"I'm sorry, Duke." What follows next is truly terrifying. Duke swings the axe into Tylers body. Then Duke and Tyler appear to both have a seizure, which I mostly expected, but Duke's eyes turn a silvery color. What the hell? And he also doesn't understand completely what is happening and I just don't know what to do, but watch helplessly. Duke falls to the floor when the seizure ends, his eyes back to normal.

"Tyler?" I don't know for sure if it worked.

"Relax, sweetheart. It's me."

"Do you remember anything?"

"Yeah, all of it. It was like I was a fly on my own wall the whole time."

"What just happened? What was going on with your eyes?"

"My family curse. I forgot to mention that if I get the troubled person's blood on my skin, my eyes turn silver and I become super strong."

"How...interesting."

"So, I used to live here. Was I broke or something? I mean, it's nice and all. A little nautical," I say, staring up at the apartment, standing on the deck behind The Gull.

"I'm glad you like it. Audrey liked it, too."

"Is that 'cause you work here?" I ask flirtatiously, twirling a strand of my hair and gesturing to the bar. For the first time, I notice the gray hairs that play at Duke's temples. Sexy.

"Audrey-Lexie - whatever your name is- I own this place. I am- was- your landlord," he replies, seemingly unaffected. Damn, I'll have to try harder. "We were...friends, though."

"Oh? Is that all? Just friends?" I smile a hopeful smile. If they were more than friends, maybe we could have something.

"Yes, just friends." His eyes had been trained on me, until that phrase "just friends". At that, he flicked his eyes away from mine to the ground. There was something he wasn't telling me. I walk closer to him, to view his beautiful, dark, soulful eyes and gauge his reaction.

Narrowing my eyes, "You wished there was more."

"Heh." He crosses his arms, as if to remain closed off.

"I'm right, aren't I? You wished there had been more between you two. So, what was the problem? It obviously wasn't you." Again, trying the flirting angle.

"Look, I don't really want to talk about this." He seems very uncomfortable.

Thinking back to the short conversation that I had with Nathan before he dropped me off here, I say, "Wait, she was in love with Nathan, wasn't she? And you were in love with her. I can see by the look on your face, that's the truth. But Nathan is so...boring, blah." I point at him. "Now you, you peak my interest. Maybe this Audrey version of me was boring too."

"Audrey was many things. Boring was not one of them." He sounds irritated and wistful at the same time, if that's possible. "She was fun and full of life, though she did need to work less and have more fun."

I reach up to gently grab his arm, aim for being my charming self and softly say, "Fun is my middle name, Duke. We can have fun. Let's go have a drink."

Seeming rather put off, he stares off in the distance, perhaps thinking of her. "Maybe some other time."

Dammit! That didn't go as planned. Not only do I find Duke rather beautiful, but he seems interesting and just like a cool person to have a beer with. What did Audrey see in Nathan? Sure he's nice to look at, but he has the personality of a doorknob. Not my type at all, but he was apparently Audrey's.

"Duke, wait." Let's try this from another approach. "I'd like to rent your room above your bar if it's still available."

"It's available." With a cold tone, he responds.

"Duke, I'm sorry about your friend...going away. I really am. But I'd like to be your friend if you'll let me."

"Thanks and we'll see."

That's good enough for me for now.

**I actually love pancakes. Lexie is just crazy, in many ways**.** I haven't decided whether to keep Jennifer in town or to let her go back to Boston. It might be hard to explain things if I don't keep her character. But it might be hard to explain things if I let her go. Just know that her and Duke are most definitely not together. He is reserved for me...er...Lexie...er...Audrey. Please review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to the second chapter. I may try to follow the scenes in the episodes or I may try to go off on my own. Depends on the creative juices. At least for awhile this will follow episode 4x6. Again, anything familiar is not mine. It belongs to Haven.**

I had just finished my morning routine, when there was a knock at my door. Going through Audrey's closet had revealed boring, bland and blah clothing. She was quite the shopper with a pattern or rather no pattern. Brown, black and grays. This woman needed color in her life.

My thoughts wander to the man on the other side of the door. I wonder if Duke has any idea how attracted I am to him. If not, that needs to be made clear. Shaking my head to clear any inappropriate thoughts about someone I just met, I find Duke with two mugs of coffee, in an old man's, clearly used for warmth, sweater. How he manages to look sexy even in that will forever remain a mystery. Hopefully, the coffee is spiked.

"Morning." He flashes his signature beautiful smile. "I wanted to apologize. I feel like I was too hard on you yesterday. It's just, Audrey, and you-you look like-" He hands me a mug of coffee.

"Don't worry, Duke. I get it." I look down at the still steaming mug. "Is this milk? I hate milk in my coffee."

Gesturing to the mug, he leans in with a whisper, "Just try it."

I take a sip of the delicious, hot liquid. "Mmm, Bailey's." My eyes flicker up to his as I take another sip. "I think I might officially love you." The smile on my face feels genuine for the first time since I've been here.

He chuckles. "What are your plans for the day?"

"I guess I gotta fill out paperwork to be a cop again, you know, be reinstated. Hey, I was thinking, maybe I could work in your bar. Bartending experience right here." I point to myself.

"Don't you think that would be a conflict of interest? You know, the whole Haven PD thing." Damn, a very valid point. I am not used to being a cop.

"Right." I cock my hand like a gun and make a clicking noise."You are right, of course. Hey, did you and Audrey ever hook up?" I ask, trying to be nonchalant.

"That was smoothe, Lexie." He says, blandly.

I raise my eyebrows in a "Well?" gesture.

"The answer is no." But I his tell me something else.

"A kiss? Nothing?" The silence hangs in the air. "You kissed her, didn't you?" God, this is like pulling teeth.

"Um, actually, she kissed me," he says, obviously recalling the fond memory, judging by the smile that crosses his face.

My eyebrows shoot up, again. "Ooooh, so the 'perfect' Audrey isn't so perfect after all. _She _kissed _you_, huh? Thought she wss soooo in love with Nathan. Wonder how Wuornos took that. They-we-were together, right?" More silence. "He doesn't know, does he? Neither one of you had the balls to tell him."

"Look, we were in Colorado-" He begins, but I cut him off because I can't believe what he is telling me.

"You went to Colorado together, alone? Wow! What kind of kiss was this? A simple peck, 'oh my God, I can't believe I did that', or a sloppy-"

"Lexie, stop. That's not the point. The point is emotions were high for both of us. We thought time was short and you know how charming I am. But then you show up, six months later, here. But you're Lexie, not Audrey."

"Sorry." I'm not really, Audrey was boring, and interested in totally the wrong guy. Though she kissed the guy that is supposed to be just her friend. Now, that's intriguing. And, clearly, it was not a quick kiss either. Maybe she wasn't so boring after all. "Well, that paperwork won't fill itself out. Guess I better get a move on. Gotta remember being Audrey and all. See ya later, Duke." As I walk by, I affectionately squeeze his arm. At the door, I turn around. "Oh and for the record, I would have rocked your world with my bar tending skills." I wiggle my fingers at him in a wave.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Duke, I just ran into your brother," I whisper into my cell phone.

Walking around the police station, waiting for Nathan to come back is so boring. And the questions everyone asks are just tedious. I have absolutely no memory of Audrey and they all think I should remember them. So, to avoid those annoying questions, I was going to go hide in Nathan's office and that's when I found Wade.

"At the station?" Duke is clearly surprised.

"Yep."

"Did he say what he doing there?"

I roll my eyes because he can't see me. "No, it didn't exactly come up in conversation. I did find it odd that he was filling out paperwork for something in Nathan's office."

"Why wouldn't you ask? What was he doing in Nathan's office?" Clearly, Duke is pissed.

"I'm sorry. I figured you knew. It looked like he was filling out paperwork for something legit. I didn't think to ask."

"Dammit, Lexie." Great. Way to win him over. I can feel the tension through the phone. Perhaps sensing it too, he apologizes, "Sorry, while I got you on the phone, do me a favor? Can you remove all devices with a digital display from Nathan's office?"

"Okaay." Confused, most definitely confused.

Sensing the hesitation in my voice, he says, "I know it sounds crazy, but just do it, please? There's a trouble where people turn to stone when they look at digital displays." The way he says it like it's no big deal is absolutely unreal. This is like an episode of The Twilight Zone. Another one. Ever since I arrived in Haven my life has been one big Twilight Zone episode.

"Ok, I'll do it. But this shit is crazy."

"Yeah, it's Haven." I can hear the indifferent shrug through the phone. "We are bringing in a guy to try and save his life."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Five minutes later, Duke comes into Nathan's office, with Nathan and presumably the man they are trying to save in tow. I had removed all digital devices like he asked, but held a digital thermometer I found at the last minute. I could see it counting down as well. But as long as the other guy couldn't see it, he should live. And thirty seconds later, he is dead. Confused, I look at the thermometer again. It had started the countdown over.

"Guys, we have a problem." I tell them.

"Besides the petrified guy on the couch?" That is Duke's witty comment. How can they be so nonchalant about death?

"I mean, we have a bigger problem." Holding up the thermometer, "Can anyone see this? The thermometer is starting over."

Nathan says, "Me. I can."

"Means you're next." Duke clarifies, again seemingly not affected at all the his friend is next on the list to die. It does seem to be a tentative friendship, but a friendship nonetheless.

We bounce around different ideas . What do all the people have in common? How are the victims chosen? Why Nathan? Nathan says something that triggers my memory about a conversation I overheard.

"The coach picked up a video camera," was the phrase that caught my attention.

"Paul Krebbs' electronic store was robbed this morning and he was just here filling out a report." Duke leaves the room to see if he is still here. "The guy that robbed him told him to sit motionless and count to 1,000. That's about fifteen minutes, right? That's when the countdown clock restarts. That's like something that would start a trouble, right?" Nathan looks at me with wide eyes, like I have two heads.

"Audrey?" I can't help but notice the hope in his voice.

"Oh yeah, that's me, Audrey." I had no idea my sarcasm would get me in trouble one day, and today is that day as I will soon find out. "Don't get all gooey over there Wuornos. Guess I'm good at this trouble stuff, huh? It's like it's second nature or something." It has to be, because two days ago I had never heard of the troubles.

And queue the disappointed voice, "Yeah, guess you are. You must remember being Audrey."

Oh, how I love to mess with him. Slinking up to rub against him, I coo softly in his ear, "Oh, Nathan, I love you so much. You're my soul mate."

He pushes me away, not so gently either. "Stop it, Lexie." Good. Mission accomplished. I have gotten under his skin.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The three of us enter Krebbs' electronic store to talk to Paul to see if maybe he can put some missing puzzle pieces together. We are unable to find him, but we run into that crazy chick, Jordan, again. With a gun, pointed at my face. What is her deal?

"I made sure you won't find him. I know you're Audrey. I heard everything. We bugged his office." Her head nods towards Nathan.

"You are crazy, need to go back and listen, again. I was joking around. Ever heard of sarcasm?" Through clenched teeth, I say, "We are running out of time."

"The way you were rubbing all over Wuornos was just so-ugh!-And the way you figured out the guy who was troubled, Lexie wouldn't know how to do that. That is something only Audrey could do. Now we can go back to the original plan. Kill him." She nods to Nathan, gun still pointed at my face.

"Well, what can I say? I'm a genius. But I am not Audrey. So, therefore, I am not in love with Nathan and it won't end the troubles or whatever. You must have cut out before he pushed me away."

"Stop lying to me!" The guys draw their guns and point them at her, her agitation clear to them. "What do you care if he lives or dies? If you don't love him, you shouldn't care."

"Nobody is dying today by my hand. I care because he is a human being. Jordan, you need to tell us where Paul is." I say adamantly.

"Shoot me and you'll never find him. Don't you get it? What's Nathan have left, four minutes? At least make it count for something. End the troubles. Kill him."

"Dammit! Lady, I am not Audrey. I am not shooting him."

"Then I'll shoot him."

She's bluffing, surely, shes bluffing. "Put the damn gun down, now! You are not shooting anyone, because that solves nothing. It just creates bodies." She knows I am right and lowers her gun. About this time, Wade Crocker walks in. We don't have time for this. The conversation surrounds me as I leave the room to search for Paul.

"Where's the troubled guy?" I hear Wade ask. Why does he care and how is he involved in this?

"Get outta here, Wade." Jordan answers.

"You're helping her?" Duke is pissed and confused.

"More like she's helping me. Showing me the Crocker family secret." Wade says.

"Wade, you don't want that." Duke replies.

"Yes, I do."

"I found him." I yell from the back of the small storeroom.

We move from the storeroom out into the open reception area. "You have a problem." I gently tell him.

"You think? First, I get ripped off, then the cops ignore me, then this crazy bitch-" at this, he motions to Jordan, who shakes her head in defeat. "-takes me hostage and she really hurts." Hurts? Did she torture him? I wonder what he means by hurts.

"Listen, you're troubled." I try again. "You keep putting a countdown clock on people. When it counts down to zero, they harden and then - then they die. Ok? He-" I nod toward Nathan-"has two minutes. Listen, after you were robbed, those guys from the school wanted their electronics back, right? Coach wanted his camera."

"I ignored you when you tried to report it." Nathan interrupts. Oh, so that's how Nathan was chosen.

"You have been putting a countdown clock on anyone who's slowing you down. But why? Slowing you down for what? You said you were robbed, but I don't see anything missing. All right? What did they take?"

"A bracelet. I was gonna give it as a birthday present today. For a friend." Paul sounds deflated.

Duke chimes in, "But you want her to be more?" If anyone would know about unrequited love, it would be him. "That's it, isn't it?"

"You need to call her." I suggest.

"No, no, no. I can't call her on her birthday and have nothing but me." Paul says.

"Be honest. Tell her how you feel." I further suggest.

"Thirty seconds. We're out of time." Leave it to Nathan to be emotionless even about his own death.

Duke reaches across the counter and grabs him by the shirt. "Call her now."

After Duke's threat, he calls her, though it's with much apprehension. With no seconds to spare, he asks her to coffee and she accepts, leaving the entire room to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

As Paul walks to the door to leave for his coffee and before any of us can leave, Wade stabs Paul in the stomach. Then we all watch in horror as he wipes the blood on his hands to activate his curse.

I grab a cloth from behind the counter and run over to him to assess Paul's wound, with plans to control the bleeding. I hear Nathan tell Wade to drop the knife.

Seething, Duke shoves Wade. "You shouldn't have done that."

"You're not the only special Crocker anymore." Wade tells his brother.

"That was stupid." Duke tells Wade.

"Why? Because now I can end the troubles, too?" Wade turns to leave. Nathan tries to stop him. And Duke tries to stop Nathan from going after him.

"Let me go after him." Duke tries to calm Nathan.

Nathan is forever the cop first. "He stabbed that guy."

"This is my fault. He doesn't know what he is doing. I'm asking, please. Let me deal with Wade," Duke explains and Nathan relents.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After the stressful day, I need a beer. I wonder what local fare Duke has. For being a bartender, you would think I would have been in Duke's restaurant the day I got here. The atmosphere is lively, fishy and overall very Maine. I love it!

As I approach, Duke is wiping down the bar, "Don't you have help to do that?"

He gives me an incredulous look. "My bartender called in sick. So, it's just me." There were other wait staff furiously running around, but Duke was the only person manning the bar.

"Ya know, bartender, right here." I tease. Seating myself on a barstool in front of him, I say, "You got a pretty good crowd in here. Did you talk to Wade yet?"

"No, he hasn't come here. I have been trying to call, but no answer." I can tell he is frustrated.

"Hmm." I reply thoughtfully.

"You want something? On the house."

"A beer is fine." He hands me a bottle. "Turns out Paul is going to be fine," I tell him, informing him of the status of the electronics store owner.

"That's good." Our conversation seems slow tonight. Maybe we are both just tired.

"Be right back. Customer."

I make myself at home and turn to watch Duke with his customers. He seems well-liked and at ease with the town's people. The patrons never notice his tiredness, because he never lets it show. It's clear that others happiness comes before his own.

Duke returns and sits next to me on a stool. "I have to say, the way you handled Jordan today, that was kinda sexy."

"Oh yeah? I'll keep that in mind." Thinking on my observation a few moments ago about others happiness, I say, "So, can I ask you question?"

He slowly nods and blinks, "Anything."

"Why did you and Audrey go to Colorado? Obviously not a romantic getaway."

"It really is a long and complicated story. Just know that I would do anything for her. That's all that matters." My observation seems correct.

"And why didn't Nathan go with her?" Seems like an obvious question.

"Somebody had to stay here and help the troubled."

"Uh-huh." Sorry, Duke, not believing that one, even if that was Nathan's excuse. And I bet it was. "Did you stay in separate rooms?" I can always tell when he would rather avoid a question, he's silent. "I will take that as a "no".

"They were booked, I swear." He holds up his left hand as if in an honest gesture.

"Uh-huh." Thoughtfully, I take a sip. "Would she have gone through all this trouble for you?" I take another swig.

"I'd like to think so."

"But you're not sure?"

He shrugs.

"Well, I'm sure."

He looks at me, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean she should do anything for you. You went all the way to Colorado for her. It's clear to me that you loved her- loved me."

He is speechless. I, Lexie Dewitt, have left Duke Crocker, speechless.

I chuckle because I don't know what else to do. "Hey, do you think Audrey is buried somewhere in here?" I make a gesture to myself.

"I don't know. A part of me hopes so, but if she never shows up, there is still Lexie. I'm not sure if I like Lexie as much, though. " At this, he smiles, teasing me.

"Oh, that is it, Duke! You are gonna get the party girl to emerge yet. I have yet to show you how much fun I can be. But it is past my bedtime, and I must get some beauty sleep."

"That doesn't sound very party-like." Damn him and his good points.

"It's only since I have been here that I have had the fun sucked out of my life. I can be very fun."

"That's right. Fun is your middle name. Well, I look forward to your brand of fun soon." As I get up to leave, I realize it is closing time for the restaurant. I hear Duke say, "Freddie, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. I'm sorry, man."

**Not sure if I am completely happy with my last scene I created. Please review and let me know what you think.**


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